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BREAKING THE PERKS STANDOFF DTI chief favors inclusion of safety net for potential Citira ‘casualties’ in ecozones

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By Elijah Felice Rosales

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) will be asking lawmakers to put up a cash fund that will be used to provide monthly allowance to workers that economic zone firms will lay off to manage the removal of their fiscal incentives.

Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said he is in favor of including a safety net in the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (Citira) bill. This will come in the form of monthly allowance to be allocated for workers who might end up jobless as a consequence of investors leaving the Philippines upon lifting of tax perks.

“If a safety net is placed [in the Citira bill], it will not go to the firms, but to the affected workers.

If a worker is able to prove he lost work because of the measure, the

government can use the cash fund to subsidize the worker until he gets hired. The allowance can last maybe from three months to six months,” Lopez told the BusinessMirror.

“The allowance should be enough to get the worker and his family going for a few months—if at all there is a safety net, which I find reasonable. It should be inserted in the Citira bill, just to be safe should there really be job losses,” he added.

Lopez said economic offices,

including the DTI, could do the computation on how much the cash fund should be, as well as the amount of the monthly allowance.

Transition scenario

ESTIMATES by the Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines (JFC) put job losses at above 700,000 if the Citira bill is passed into law as proposed by the House of Representatives. These job losses will come as casualties of the Citira bill’s component on rationalization of incentives granted to firms

operating in economic zones. The Department of Finance (DOF) disputes this number.

Locators, mostly multinationals, warned they would be compelled to pack up operations here and relocate to another Southeast Asian country if their incentives, particularly the 5-percent tax on gross income earned (GIE) that is paid in lieu of all local and national taxes, are stripped away.

If the government can no longer shoulder another cash transfer Continued on a2

A third of the world’s consumers are suddenly nervous to spend

By Ari Altstedter, Carolynn Look & Qian Ye

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of hundreds in the mall selling phones, laptops and other gadgets. “In the past, people changed phones as soon as the new model came out. Now they change their phones according to their need.”

He said profits have fallen by half in the past two months.

Gurnaney and He are emblematic of the deepening retail gloom in India and China, home to 2.8 billion people, or more than a third of the world’s consumers. Makers of everything from cars to shampoo had pinned their hopes for growth on one or both of these Asian giants, and the effects of the double slowdown are rippling out across the world.

Bloomberg News

OWN the street from Mumbai’s grand colonial-era Royal Opera House, Deepak Gurnaney sits in his small electronics shop in front of rows of flat-screen TVs flashing Hindi-soap operas, while his four staff play with their phones. There are no customers.

The 68-year-old used to need a machine to count the cash brought in by the business his father founded, and a warehouse nearby to keep enough stock. With business down 25 percent the past two years, he’s got rid of both.

“The car market is down, this market is down, that market is down, so people see that and think they should not spend,” he says.

“Retail trade being the way it is, I

cannot encourage anyone in my family to join this business. I will be the last generation.”

Nearly 3,000 miles away, in the fluorescent-lighted sprawl of Beijing’s Zhongguancun Kemao electronics mall, He Hongyuan is singing a similar tune.

“These days consumers tend to be more careful with their spending,” He says from behind the counter of his glass booth, one

PESO EXCHANGE RATES n US 51.6890

Global headwind

CHILDREN have their picture taken during the Golden Week holidays in Beijing on October 2, 2019.

KEVIN FRAYER/GETTY IMAGES

“THEY’LL probably remain the largest and most promising consumer markets out there, but this slowdown is still a headwind for a global economy that is already struggling,” said Frederic Neumann, co-head of Asian economics research at HSBC Holdings Plc. in Hong Kong.

China indicated growth year Continued on a2

n JAPAN 0.4788 n UK 64.3270 n HK 6.5916 n CHINA 7.2648 n SINGAPORE 37.6029 n AUSTRALIA 34.9469 n EU 56.8993 n SAUDI ARABIA 13.7815

Source: BSP (October 11, 2019 )

News

BusinessMirror

A2 Saturday, October 12, 2019

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Breaking the perks standoff Continued from a1

program, then senators should really consider extending the period by which existing locators need to give up their incentives, Lopez argued. With a longer sunset period—at present two years to five years—locators will be given enough elbow room to transition to the fiscal regime proposed under the Citira bill, he added.

Under the House version, economic zone firms are provided up to five years to surrender their tax perks before they shift to paying corporate income tax (CIT).

“If the transition is longer, the risk [of capital flight] will be minimized. That will probably affect fewer workers then. As it is now, if the transition period is two years [at the minimum], firms will really think about leaving the Philippines for good. We need to adjust the transition period to a more realistic one,” the trade chief said.

Lopez has been asking lawmakers to consider extending the transition period to a maximum of 10 years, but senators, he disclosed, are amenable to just seven years.

On the other hand, Charito B. Plaza, director general of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza), is seeking up to 15 years of transition period. She is also pushing for the continuation of duty-

free importation of capital gear and equipment for Peza locators.

“If the transition is longer, the risk [of capital flight] will be minimized. That will probably affect fewer workers then.

As it is now, if the transition period is two years [at the minimum], firms will really think about leaving the Philippines for good. We need to adjust the transition period to a more realistic one.”

—Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez

Turnaround

PLAZA used to be the strongest critic of the Citira bill, but on Wednesday reversed her stand on the measure, supporting it on the condition the government will introduce changes to the much debated bill and will be transparent in its legislation.

The Peza chief’s change in position was welcomed by some private-sector figures, but industry leaders said she might have been forced by Lopez to support the Citira bill. Danilo C. Lachica, president of the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Foundation Inc., said the group is still “very concerned about the incentives rationalization.”

On the other hand, John D. Forbes, senior advisor of the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, said Plaza’s decision to cooperate with the DTI and the Department of Finance (DOF) should resolve the issue on the Citira bill and end the uncertainties it is bringing.

“We strongly welcome the statement of Peza DG [director general] Plaza and look forward to the comments of DTI and DOF. Investors are waiting and eager to get the Citira issue resolved in an investor-friendly way and

get back to promoting inbound foreign investment to support higher economic growth and job creation,” Forbes said in a text message.

The Citira bill, which hurdled the House in September, will reduce the CIT rate to 20 percent by 2029, from 30 percent at present— it’s the highest in the region—in exchange of an overhaul in the menu of incentives granted to economic zone firms.

Consequence

UNDER the version approved by the House, the Citira bill capped the period for enjoying income tax holiday (ITH) at three years and

additional incentives at five years.

This is contrary to the existing setup under which economic zone firms are allowed to enjoy ITH for up to six years for pioneer activities and four years for nonpioneer activities.

Upon the expiry of their ITH, they will perpetually pay 5 percent tax on GIE, be exempted from all local and national taxes, enjoy duty-free importation of raw materials, capital gear and spare parts, among others.

The uncertainties brought about by the government’s decision to rationalize tax perks resulted in a 12.71-percent decline in investments registered with the Peza last year, to P68.32 billion, from P78.27 billion in 2017, according to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Industry groups and government agencies alike are expecting a rebound once discussions on the Citira bill are concluded.

A third of the world’s consumers are suddenly nervous to spend Continued from a1

could be as low as 6 percent, the slowest on record, while India’s expansion was the weakest in six years in the June quarter. The two nations’ auto sales tell the story.

China’s sales of sedans, sport utility vehicles, minivans and multipurpose vehicles fell for the 14th time in 15 months in August, the same month that India’s car sales had their biggest annual decline on record.

Even though their growth rates are still higher than most other countries, the slowdown is critical for the two developing nations. China needs to keep up the pace of expansion to deal with a pile of debt amassed during its boom years. And youthful India is relying on a robust economy to absorb millions of new job seekers each month.

“The old drivers of growth are really running out of steam,” said Julian Evans-Pritchard, Singaporebased economist for Capital Economics. He said younger consumers in China are more wary of spending on luxury goods and cars than their parents. “I think they’re going to have to get used to incomes growing at a much slower pace.”

In India, the government announced corporate tax cuts worth $20 billion last month to cushion the slowdown. But with a financial system choked by soured loans and unemployment at a 45year high, the mood of pessimism is still hurting sales of companies from jeweler Titan Co. Ltd. to deodorant and ice-cream maker Hindustan Unilever Ltd.

Few places in India have been harder hit than the southern city of Chennai, center of the nation’s auto industry. Some 580,000 automotive jobs have been lost the

past 18 months.

For Vijay Chacko, who runs a public-relations firm in the city, the steady drumbeat of bad headlines has put an end to what he calls his only vice: upgrading his phone every three months to the latest model.

Last year’s model

“I’LL be three models behind shortly,” the 52-year-old said by phone from Chennai. “When the situation gets tough, everyone starts tightening their belts.”

The rise of discretionary spending like Chacko’s phone habit among a burgeoning middle class had put China, and more recently India, in the spotlight for global retailers such as Fast Retailing Co. Ltd.’s Uniqlo, Ikea AG, Ryohin Keikaku Co. Ltd.’s Muji and Hennes & Mauritz AB. India is already the secondbiggest market after the US for consumer goods giant Unilever NV. China is the biggest market outside of the US for Starbucks Corp. and Apple Inc., while hotel chain Marriott International Inc. has 300 new hotels planned for the country. Nike Inc. has posted 20 straight quarters of double-digit sales growth in China.

But in the consumer arena, bad news begets bad news. The USChina trade war, clampdowns on corruption in India and China, and factory closures are making people more worried about the future.

“I know that the economy is slowing down and that in future my income could be lower,” said Chater Zhang, an investment trust manager in the Southeastern Chinese city of Nanchang. “It has already declined significantly.”

China’s second-quarter growth was the weakest since data was first released in 1992. China’s

Communist Party had been counting on domestic consumers to take up the slack and reduce the nation’s dependence on exports.

Instead, sales of big-ticket items such as autos and home appliances have slowed, and companies including Haier Electronics Group Ltd. and Henkel AG, which makes cosmetics and adhesives, have noted weaker demand in smaller purchases.

Golden Week

OVERALL sales at the country’s top 100 retailers, including e-commerce giants such as Alibaba, have been shrinking, according to data from Capital Economics. And even during China’s Golden Week holiday last week the annual bump in domestic tourism was smaller than a year earlier.

“While the economy continues to grow at a relatively strong pace, it is less strong than it was two and three years ago,” Pat Grismer, chief financial officer of Starbucks, said about China at a conference last month. “We’re seeing that show up in retail footfall.”

Back at the electronics shop in Mumbai, Gurnaney has managed to sell a microwave oven to a caterer who paid cash. It hasn’t improved his mood. With the Hindu festival of Diwali approaching— traditionally a gift-buying bonanza for retailers—he’s reducing inventory rather than adding to it.

Even if the economy does pick up, changes in the way consumers buy goods, such as ordering online, could mean many shops like his will never recover.

“I just come here to pass the time,” he says, reaching for his kettle to make a cup of tea. “We’ve been in this line for the past 50 years. We can see the writing on the wall.”

News BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph • Vittoro V. Vitug

DA ends rice imports safeguard probe pending talks with Cabinet

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HE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Friday revealed that it terminated its safeguard investigation on rice imports pending a dialogue with the government’s economic managers.

“We started the study on the possibility of having to tap the general safeguards duty. The decision of the department is to have this discussed first with economic development managers,” said William Dar, the department’s chief, in a five-minute “press briefing” on Friday.

“That’s our decision: we terminated the first study. We will now actively discuss with the economic development managers on October 24,” Dar added.

Dar’s disclosure came a day after the DA’s 30-day deadline to reveal the findings of its preliminary safeguard investigation.

Under Republic Act 8800 or the Safeguard Measures Act, the Agriculture Secretary “shall terminate” a safeguard investigation if their preliminary findings “are negative,” or do not meet the criteria set to impose a safeguard duty.

Last September 11, the DA started the surge in rice imports following the plunge in the farm-gate prices of local rice, to determine whether it warranted safeguard measures.

The results of the investigation could have led to the imposition of a provisional duty to temporarily increase rice tariffs pending final determination by the Tariff Commission.

“I will not telegraph the findings of the first study, we have terminated it. We will discuss it with the economic development managers,” Dar said when asked about the investigation results.

On the forthcoming talks with economic managers, Dar said they are aware of the current situation

of the local rice industry, and “all measures are being discussed.”

On October 10, the BusinessMirror reported that reliable government sources said the Cabinet-level Economic Development Cluster (EDC) wants to discuss the proposed imposition of a safeguard duty on rice imports before the DA moves ahead with the results of its preliminary investigation.

However, Dar was mum on whether the EDC intervened in the safeguard investigation of the DA when he was asked by the press on October 9.

Factors to determination UNDER RA 8800’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR), the secretary shall “essentially determine” five factors in its preliminary determination.

First, if there was an increase in imports, either in absolute terms or relative to domestic production, in the last five years preceding the application to substantiate claims of significant increase in import volume.

Second, the “presence and extent of serious injury or threat thereof to the domestic industry producing the like or directly competitive product.”

Third, the “causal relationship between the increased imports of the product under consideration and the serious injury or threat thereof to the affected domestic industry.”

Fourth, the impacts of seasonality of products, whenever, applicable.

“That there has been a substantial increase in imports taking into account their volume and whether or not there has been a rapid accumulation of inventories of the domestic product, and a reduction in sales and profit margins of the domestic industry,” it added.

Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

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Different company

“AYA L A to d ay i s ve r y d i f f e re nt,” t h e Harvard-educated Zobel said. “We began to realize that we wanted a company that was far more relevant to the social and economic needs of the vast majority of Filipinos. We became far more inclusive.

AyalaLand changed from a one-product company to a five-product company.”

Before, AyalaLand catered primarily to the elite of Philippine society. Now, it has residential projects targeted to different income groups. The bank, BPI, has broadened its customer base beyond wealthy individuals and the middle class, and entered areas such as microfinancing.

In health care, an area where the Philippines is underserved, Ayala plans to double its clinics and expand its drugstores over the next two years. And, in education, the company is operating high schools and universities, aiming to address a gap between the education that’s being provided in the country and the technical skills needed by industries such as call centers.

If stock prices are any guide, Zobel’s time as CEO has been a success. The stock has risen almost fivefold since the end of 1994, beating a 179 percent gain in the Philippine Stock Exchange Index. AyalaLand and BPI have climbed 399 percent and 429 percent, respectively, in the period.

“Zobel stepped on the pedal and spread into a lot of businesses, making Ayala arguably the most diversified Philippine conglomerate,” said Manny Cruz, a strategist at Papa Securities who’s covered the country’s equities for more than two decades. It has a “presence in many key promising industries,” he said.

Local rival

BUT there’s another view on Zobel’s time in charge, one that compares Ayala to another giant of Philippine business, SM Investments Corp. The group founded by the now-deceased Henry Sy has shot past Ayala in the league table of the country’s largest companies. SM Investments is now

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ASF to drive PHL’s pork import to highest ever–USDA report

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By Jasper Emmanuel Y. Arcalas

HE country’s pork imports next year could reach a record-high 350,000 metric tons (MT) to plug shortfall in local production as a result of the devastation of African swine fever (ASF), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) said.

In its report, titled Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, the USDA projected that Philippine pork imports would rise by 32 percent to 350,000 MT, from 265,000 MT this year.

“The Philippines imports are also forecast [to rise ] 32 percent higher due to disease impact on domestic supplies,” the USDA said in a report published on Friday.

L o c a l p or k p ro du c t ion i s

forecast to dec l ine by 16.42 percent to 1.4 million MT, from 1.675 million metric tons estimated output this year, the USDA added.

Likewise, the USDA estimates that local pork consumption would fall to 1.75 MMT, almost 10 percent lower than the 1.939 MMT consumption this year.

The USDA also projects that there would be a surge in both local chicken meat production and import volumes as Filipinos are expected to shift to poultry meat from pork due to ASF scare and cheaper prices.

“As pork production falls sharply, chicken meat production and imports of both pork and chicken meat will rise,” the USDA said.

Local chicken meat production would reach record-high 1.6 MMT, 10.34 percent over

this year’s estimated output of 1.45 MMT. The country’s chicken meat consumption next year is projected to reach a record-level of nearly 2 MMT, according to USDA estimates.

The USDA estimates Philippines’s total chicken meat consumption this year at 1.763 MMT. “Elevated chicken supplies will spur consumption to exceed that of pork,” it said.

To meet the anticipated increase in consumption, the USDA projects the country’s chicken meat imports to reach recordhigh 400,000 MT next year from 315,000 MT this year.

“The Philippines imports are forecast up 27 percent as consumers transition from pork to increasingly price-competitive chicken,” USDA added.

B.I.R. RAID YIELDS P206.6M WORTH OF FAKE CIGARETTE TAX STAMPS, PRINTING MACHINES

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HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has seized P206.6 million worth of counterfeit tax stamps and printing machines in a joint operation with police and local government officials in a factory in Villasis, Pangasinan.

According to BIR Deputy Commissioner Arnel Guballa, the operation has yielded fake internal revenue stamps worth P6.6 million, while the estimated worth of the 20 units of machines seized was placed at P200 million.

“The BIR apprehended and seized several printing, gilding, cutting, stamping, and module machines at a factory located at Barangay Bacag in Villasis, Pangasinan,” Guballa said.

He added that the unregistered equipment was being used to illegally produce and print fake cigarette packing.

PHILIPPINE POWERHOUSE AYALA MAY LOOK OUTSIDE FAMILY FOR NEXT CEO HE head of a family-owned empire that’s worth tens of billions of dollars said his company may be ready for an outsider at the helm.

Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala II, the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Philippines’s Ayala Corp., said a CEO from outside the family is one option when the group passes power to new leaders. Part of his legacy, he said, has been paving the way to make such a move possible.

“I like to think the team we have in place could provide leadership at any point for Ayala if my brother and I were to disappear,” Zobel said in an interview in the Makati business district, which his group built. “We have all kinds of options for leadership both at the professional level and potentially the family level,” he said, referring to three family members from the next generation who are currently working at the company.

Succession is a key issue in the Philippines, where families either control or have a large stake in many of the biggest companies.

Ayala traces its roots to a small distillery founded in 1834, with the controlling family descended from Europeans who arrived during the colonial era.

It’s a powerhouse in the country. Ayala Corp. is the holding company for a group that includes Ayala Land Inc., the largest property developer by revenue; Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the oldest lender; and Globe Telecom Inc., the biggest mobile phone company. Those four entities alone have a combined market capitalization of more than $36 billion. Zobel’s family owns 47 percent of Ayala Corp., which has large stakes in the others.

Zobel, who’s now 60, has been running the company for a quarter century, with his brother Fernando serving as president and chief operating officer. Asked to evaluate his years in charge, he said he’s worked to retain an entrepreneurial spirit and make the company more relevant to Philippine society, both by revamping existing businesses and entering new areas, such as health care and education.

Saturday, October 12, 2019

the biggest listed stock, with a market value of about $23 billion. SM Prime Holdings Inc., the shopping mall and residential development arm, is No. 2, valued at about $21 billion. SM’s lender, BDO Unibank Inc., has surpassed Bank of the Philippine Islands by market value.

And SM Investments already has a CEO from outside the Sy family.

“Ayala was overtaken by SM Investments, which made concentrated bets in areas that benefited most from the growth in consumer spending in the past two decades, like retail and real estate,” Cruz said.

For Gerard Abad, the chief investment officer of AB Capital & Investment Corp., Ayala’s cautious nature means it’s built to withstand difficult periods. But it also means it doesn’t make the most of opportunities when things are good.

“Ayala is the perfect name for investors who are conservative with risk,” he said. “It’s the stock investors want to hold during hard times. But it’s not a high-flier during good times as Ayala’s conservative stance stands like a speed bump.”

Asean, China

ZO B E L, unsurprisingly, has a different perspective. It’s true, he said, that Ayala has remained in business by being careful in its decision-making. And the kind of longevity Ayala has is definitely “hard to come by.” But it isn’t achieved by being closed to new things.

Now, for example, the company is preparing to invest more overseas, particularly in Southeast Asian countries, while building on its partnerships with Chinese firms, such as Ant Financial, SAIC Motor Corp. and Huawei Technologies Co. “Sometimes, longevity is associated with stodginess, slowness and conservativeness,” Zobel said. “But I’d like to think that during our term, my brother Fernando and I kept the spirit of reinvention alive that has led to the kind of longevity that Ayala has today.”

Perhaps, that’s also why, when choosing the next leader, a big—and unusual— change may be at hand. Bloomberg News

Other confiscated materials, such as inks, rollers, cardboards, straps and chemicals used in the illicit activity were accounted for and witnessed by representatives from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the local government of Villasis.

Criminal complaints were filed against three Chinese nationals before the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in Villasis for violation of

Sections 254, 258 and 265 of the National Internal Tax Code, which pertains to tax evasion, and the manufacture and use of fake tax stamps.

In its aim to stop the entry of unauthorized cigarette-making machines, the Bureau of Customs (BOC) and the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) signed in August an intergovernmental accord defining the scope and

guidelines that will strengthen the cooperation on customs matters between the two countries.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III issued the order after confirming from BIR Commissioner Caesar Dulay that the illegal tobacco trade has shifted from smuggling cigarettes to producing locally counterfeit brands using undocumented machines acquired mostly from China. Jove Moya

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Saturday, October 12, 2019

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36 PHL companies join world’s BUSINESSES, MSMES TOLD TO PROTECT IP RIGHTS biggest food trade fair Anuga ’19 B

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OLOGNE, Germany–As part of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) vigorous drive to push global promotion of exportable food and fruit products, and further boost the Philippine export industry, Trade Promotions Undersecretary Abdulgani M. Macatoman led a group of 36 Philippine food producers and manufacturers to the leading trade fair for food and beverage industry, the Anuga 2019, which ran here from October 5 to 9.

“This gathering signal a strong ‘One DTI’—an agency united by a common cause to uphold the quality of our local businesses and the export competitiveness of the Philippines in the global trade,” Macatoman said during the event’s ceremonial opening.

T he Ph i l ip pi ne s h i g h l i g ht e d t h e c o u n t r y ’s p r e m i u m

commod ities—banana, co conut , m a n go a nd t u n a a lon g w it h ot he r t o p - not c h pro d u c t s — i n t he s a id t r a d e f a i r.

Spea k ing of t rade, t he Ph i lippi nes a nd Eu ropea n cou nt r ies have a lways ma int a ined a sol id pa r t nersh ip in mat ters of t rade a nd invest ments. In ter ms of reg ion, t he Eu ropea n

Union, or EU, is c u r rent ly t he Ph i l i p p i ne s ’s fou r t h - l a r ge s t t rad ing pa r t ner, t h ird-l a rgest import source and fourth-largest ex port market in 2018 w ith Ger ma ny as t he cou nt r y ’s top 7 e x por t cou nt r y dest inat ion.

The Philippines also continues to enjoy zero tariff benefits from the EU under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences or GSP+. The GSP+ coverage was implemented in 2014, and currently gives duty-free privileges in 6,274 product tariff lines from the Philippines.

The EU Commission’s 2018 midterm GSP evaluation showed that the Philippines has the second-most diversified export portfolio under EU-GSP+ with 3,047 tariff lines covered under EU-GSP+ from 2014 to 2016. The same report also indicated that the Philippines has an average EU-GSP+ utilization rate of 68.9 percent from 2014 to 2016.

“With the overwhelming response from our previous participation, we have brought this year our biggest delegation yet in Anuga with 36 companies under the FoodPhilippines banner as part of the Philippine government’s

initiative to strengthen the Philippine and European relations in matters of trade and investment, It is through events like Anuga, which offers a platform for business opportunities and partnerships through the exchange of culture and flavors, that this trade relation continues to grow even further,” Macatoman said.

“We are thankful to our European partners for this privilege since around 25 percent of total Philippine exports to the EU benefit from the EU GSP+ trade preference. As of 2017, an estimate of more than €2-billion worth of Philippine exports has benefited from GSP+ trade preference,” Macatoman said.

This year, the Philippine delegation was graced by Madam Cielito “Honeylet” Avanceña, who has been a long-time businesswoman and an adv o c at e of m ic ro, s m a l l a nd me d iu m e nt e r pr i s e s .

The Philippine participation in Anuga 2019, is spearheaded by the DTI and the Center for International Trade Expositions a nd Mission, a nd Phi l ippine Trade and Investment Centers Berlin, Germany.

USINESSES and the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are encouraged to protect their intellectual-property (IP) rights to gain an advantage in “innovation race” amid the fourth industrial revolution.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez underscored the importance of IP in business in protecting the rights of the brands, trademarks and inventions.

“MSMEs need to understand the source of the value and brand of their business, which may cost them billions if these are unprotected,” he said. Lopez noted the Philippines’s filings for IP protection, which provides a picture of the country’s degree of regard for the IP system, increases every year.

In 2018, applications for patent grew 28 percent year-on-year to 3,962; utility models surged 54 percent to 2,131; industrial design rose 9 percent to 1,522; and trademarks climbed 18 percent to 35,666, he said.

Th e t r a d e c h i e f p o i n te d o u t a n effec tive and balanced IP system is critical to encourage and incentivize the development of innovations, as well as to attract foreign direct investments (FDI). He par ticularly cited his depar tment’s flagship program for innovation—the Inclusive Innovationled Industrial Strategy (i3S) seeking to attract businesses and investments to the countr y, and focusing on priority

sectors, namely manufacturing, agriculture and ser vices.

“It also aims to see Filipinos’ ideas and innovations contribute to high value-added activities in regional and global value chains. Moreover, i3S recognizes IP as a key element in creating and enabling an inclusive innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem,” he added.

Lopez bared that a new c ategor y c alled “innovation drivers” has been included among the list of preferred a c t i v i t i e s t h at m ay ava i l o f i n ce n tives under the B oard of Investment ’s Investment Priorities Plan.

“The use of new technologies, as well as the shift to Industry 4.0 technologies are among the criteria proposed in selecting industries and activities to be included under the Strategic Investment Priority Plan,” he added.

As the government promotes the importance of IP in business, Lopez said they are determined to ensure that the institutions that guard IPs are in place and functioning properly.

“We want to remove constraints that would lessen investments, and would discourage research and development a n d i n n o vat i o n , l i ke p l a c i n g p r i c e controls on pharmaceutical products,” he added.

“DTI is a firm defender of consumer rights, but we must also balance the interests and welfare of all stakeholders.

Training programs to keep pace DTI supports former fisherfolk to become craft makers in Aurora with technology change pushed

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I PAC U L AO, A u ro r a — S o m e 2 6 residents in this town who used to earn their living by fishing are now engaged in making bamboo handicrafts.

The former fishermen are now active members of the Croppers/Sharesmen Association Inc. (CSAI) that is being supported by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) through the Shared Service Facility (SSF) project.

DTI Provincial Director Edna Dizon said the CSAI is one of the associations in this province that successfully managed the SSF project.

“Because of that, the ownership of the machineries and equipment under the SSF project was officially transferred in the name of the association,” Dizon said in an interview on Monday.

These are one unit each of table saw, board saw, bench drill, air compressor, portable planner, portable drill and portable grinder with a total cost of P487,500.

“It is true. Sometimes, it is not enough that you have a dream. Dreams are made for you to make it come true. This was what the CSAI did and now, they are setting a new goal where they envision themselves being one of those industries known for the beauty of their products. They know it is not impossible

FORMER fishermen in Dipaculao, Aurora, province make bamboo handicrafts through the support of the Department of Trade and Industry. They are members of Croppers/Sharesmen Association Inc. (CSAI) that benefited through the DTI’s shared service facility project.

FILE PHOTO COURTESY OF DTI-AURORA

for them to achieve it. They may be new in this industry, but they are willing to take the chance and make the best out of it,” she said.

Three years ago, the DTI official said they helped the group organize an association due to the hardships of being fishermen.

“Fishing goes with corresponding

consequences. They have to take risks for them to survive on a daily basis. It is either they will come back to their families with something or with nothing at all. Just imagine their lives when they are out of their boats,” she said.

CSAI President Edgardo Caspe Jr. said making a living just by fishing is really hard.

“Bilang mga mangingisda, papalaot kami na umaasang may sapat kaming mahuhuli. Pero kapag wala, hindi na rin namin alam kung saan kami kukuha ng pangtustos sa mga pangangailangan namin sa araw-araw. [As fishermen, we sail out in a hope to catch enough fish. But when there is nothing, we dont know where we were going to get source for our daily needs]. And this is the very reason why we’re eager to try new things,” Caspe said.

Thus, Dizon said the DTI did not hesitate to help the fishermen to organize an association with a proposed project on bamboo and coco-shell craft processing.

Aside from the DTI, the CSAI also availed of other support and assistance from the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the local government unit (LGU).

The CSAI members under went handicraft, trainings and other related workshops that are relevant to the industry they pursued.

“Now, they are producing bamboo craft, such as lampshades, home furnishings, and various souvenir items like key chains, among others. Their hard work and determination have paid off,” Dizon said. PNA

K

EY stakeholders in education and labor need to develop training programs to keep pace with technology change and refocus curriculum to meet the needs of industries.

The Alliance for Technical-Vocational Education and Training (TVET) said vulnerable jobs could be lost brought about by automation and presence of vulnerable industries amid the fourth industrial revolution.

“Promote career paths in agriculture, manufacturing and other traditional sectors by dovetailing with government marketing programs for job creation,” said the Alliance led by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) national and regional chapters, Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (Philexpor t), Expor t Development Council, Employers Confederation of the Philippines (Ecop ), and Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ).

The group underscored the need to develop the research capability and labor market information on a par with Asean standards.

It said there is reference/benchmark such as Asean standard for in-company trainers’ training. Republic Act (RA) 11230, or the Act Instituting a Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program

and Free Access to TVET, was signed into law last March.

Such law stipulated that employed workers who intend to develop and expand their current skills and training can avail themselves of assistance through a fund established to provide free access to TVET programs.

It also aims to address unemployment and jobsmismatch by providing the Filipino labor force with free access to technical-vocational education, and instituting the Philippine Labor Force Competencies Competitiveness Program which would assess the prevailing requirement of industries. Dr. Eduardo Ong, chairman of PCCI Education Committee, said the PCCI, Philexport, the Ecop and other organizations are all working toward identifying the breadth of jobs that are likely to be threatened by this technological advancement.

“As one country, we should believe in the reality that jobs of the future will be the ones that machines can’t do and it’s fair to say that anything that can be measured or is based on rules will be automated. This idea I think is great news because it means we can automate the work and humanize the jobs,” he said.

Ong also underscored the need to strengthen collaboration between and among government, academe and industry to discuss the dynamic transformation of the economy into the digital era.

OurTime BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Editor: Angel R. Calso • Saturday, October 12, 2019 A5

24 Panay, Guimaras centenarians receive ₧100,000 cash gift each

By Gail Momblan

I

Philippines News Agency

LOILO CITY—Twenty-four centenarians from Panay Island and the island province of Guimaras each received a centenarian gift of P100,000 during the National Respect for Centenarians Day at MO2 Westown Hotel in this city’s Mandurriao district on Monday, October 7.

TWENTY-FOUR centenarians from Panay and the island province of Guimaras each receives a cash gift of P100,000 and a letter of felicitation from President Duterte during the National Respect for Centenarians Day on October 7, 2019, at MO2 Westown Hotel, Iloilo City. Ma. Evelyn Macapobre, DSWD 6 regional director, encouraged the family members of the centenarians to let the elderlies enjoy the cash grant. PNA PHOTO BY GAIL MOMBLAN)

dependent on t hei r fa m i ly members a nd ca reg ivers, t hus t hey don’t have t he power to defend t hemselves when t hey a re being t a ken adva nt age of.

“One of our activities is to follow up, look on where the amount is going after they receive it so whatever happens, we can easily do proper action,” she said.

Rosalia Sornito, 101 years old from Santa Barbara, Iloilo, said she is grateful that the government is looking after the elderly. “ I c a n no w bu y d e l ic iou s food,” she said as she received the cash award.

She shared that eating vegetables freshly picked from farm is one of the secrets to a healthy and long life.

“We don’t have much money before so we do not do vices and do not eat unhealthy food,” she said.

Sornito was also grateful for the letter signed by the President and asked reporters to read them again for her. PNA

President Duterte congratulated the centenarians for their longevity through a letter of felicitation.

One centenarian from Aklan; four from Capiz province; one from Guimaras; 16 from Iloilo province; and two from Iloilo City received the award.

Ma. Evelyn Macapobre, regional director of the Department of

Social Welfare and DevelopmentField Office 6 (DSWD ), encouraged families and participants in the program to honor and appreciate the living elderly in their respective households.

“W hether we like it or not, they are nearing the finish line.

Let us give them the good memories that they will treasure,” she

Quezon town celebrates ‘Elderly Week’ with fun walk and dance

Manila mayor bares more benefits for senior citizens

S

AN ANTONIO, Quezon—More than 300 senior citizens of San Antonio town in Quezon province gathered in a socialization event on Friday that included a fun walk and ballroom dance as part of the local government’s celebration of “Elderly Week.”

Lawyer Joanna Suarez, Katipunan ng Liping Pilipina (Kalipi) provincial federation president, represented her mother, Quezon Third District Rep. Aleta Suarez, as guest speaker.

In her message, the young Suarez said her mother has recently filed a bill in Congress that aims to address the hardships and efforts of parents in raising their children.

The proposed “Parents’ Welfare Act,” she said, will also provide allowances for senior citizens.

“All our life, our parents were there, providing what we need, especially in times of dire need. We must show our gratitude to them. This is the basis for the Parents’ Welfare Act,” Suarez said.

The celebration of Elderly Week from October 1 to 7 coincided with San Antonio’s 62nd Founding Anniversary, as stated in an executive order issued by President Carlos P. Garcia in 1957 creating the Municipality of San Antonio.

The bill was authored by Tiaong Town Councilor Juanito Wagan who became the town’s first mayor.

The Elderly Week carries the theme “Healthy Aging Starts with Me.” Belinda Otordoz/PNA

said in her speech.

Macapobre also encouraged family members to let the centenarians decide how to spend their P100,000 cash gift.

“Let our centenarians decide where to use the money for. Maybe

in the past, they have been receiving such amount but the pension they are receiving is not this much.

This is once in a lifetime, let them be happy with it,” she said in a follow-up interview.

Macapobre said the DSWD 6,

through its local social workers, and the Regional Coordinating and Monitoring Board, want to make sure that the monetary award given to the centenarians will be put to good use.

She sa id centena r i a ns a re

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ANILA Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso announced additional benefits for senior citizens in Manila following the signing of City Ordinance 8570 granting an P800 birthday gift for the elderly of the city starting next year. This is on top of the P500 monthly allowance he earlier announced.

Moreno said that the city’s senior citizens will also receive birthday cakes, an idea that he admitted was copied from neighboring Makati City. “If Makati can do it, why not Manila?”

“I hope you don’t get a bad impression of me copying things, at ako naman hindi mahihiyang mangopya ng mangopya [I won’t b e a sh a me d of cop y i ng a nd copying],” he said.

Senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and solo parents in the capital are also entitled to a P500 monthly allowance from the city government.

Meanwhile, in line with the nationwide observance of Elderly Filipino Week held annually on the first week of October, Moreno on Monday supervised the conduct of free flu and pneumococcal vaccination for over 500 of the city’s senior citizens, dubbed

MAYOR Isko Moreno signs on September 30, 2019, City Ordinance 8570 granting an P800 birthday gift for senior citizens in Manila starting next year. PHOTO COURTESY OF MANILA PIO

“Bakunado si Lolo at Lola, Iwas Pulmonya at Trangkaso.”

Held at the Dapitan Sports Complex in Sampaloc, Manila, the activities highlighted the importance of vaccination against respiratory infections, like pneumonia

and influenza, especially for elderly citizens who are among the most prone to the disease.

The free vaccines were provided by the Department of Health as part of the Expanded Senior Citizens Act.

Moreno believes that immunization is an important step to ensuring the overall health of the constituents and the flu vaccination campaign demonstrates the city government’s concern for the elderly Manileños.

Supporting the flu vaccination

drive are doctors from the Philippine Foundation for Vaccination (PFV) and the Philippine College of Geriatric Medicine (PCGM).

PCGM President Dr. Edwin Fortuno said that influenza is one of the 10 major causes of death among the elderly. “This infectious disease may be seasonal in nature but it should not be underestimated,” he said. “Every year it claims the lives of hundreds of Filipinos.

Those who are 65 years and older will, most likely, experience complications that can lead to severe pneumonia, dehydration and exacerbation of chronic conditions, like heart disease and asthma that can possibly result in hospitalization and death.”

PCGM explained that influenza also targets young children, as well as those with long term or chronic health conditions that have weakened their immune systems.

“Annual vaccination is the best way to protect against catching and spreading flu, at any age,” Fortuno said. “Flu vaccines have been in use for more than 60 years, and proven safe and effective.”

PCGM also urged more Filipinos to get vaccinated against influenza by visiting their doctors or the nearest health center.

Gene-test fraud billed $2.1 billion to US Medicare program I

A TECHNICIAN prepares a sample at a Genesis Healthcare Co. laboratory in Tokyo, Japan, on, July 4, 2018. KIYOSHI OTA/BLOOMBERG

N what US law-enforcement officials are calling one of the biggest health-care frauds in history, the Justice department said that Medicare was fraudulently billed $2.1 billion after seniors were enticed to take unnecessary genetic tests for cancer.

The Justice department, and the Department of Health and Human Services said last week that 35 defendants associated with dozens of telemedicine companies and cancer genetic testing laboratories had been charged with fraud. Those charged included nine doctors. “ T hese defendants alleged ly duped Med ica re benef ic i a r ies into sig ning up for u nneces sar y genetic tests, costing Med ica re bi l l ions of dol l a rs,” A ssist a nt At t y. Genera l Br i a n A . Benc zkowsk i of t he Just ice

De pa r t ment ’s c r i m i n a l d iv ision, sa id in a st atement.

Fraud is a major problem for government health programs.

Since 2007, a Medicare fraud task force has filed more than 1 ,6 0 0 c a s e s a g a i n s t a l mo s t 3,500 defendants who are alleged to have fraudulently billed Medicare more than $13 billion, according to a 2018 report by the Department of Health and Human Ser vices’ Office of Inspector General.

T he genetic-testing allegat ions a re a new t w ist. T hey capitalize on interest and curiosity in DNA testing to attract seniors, d isabled people and others covered by government programs to submit to tests, and then bill the government.

The latest case allegedly involved i l lega l k ic kbac k s a nd

bribes paid to doctors and medical professionals for referring Medicare beneficiaries for expensive cancer DNA tests.

Frequently, the test results were either worthless or not provided at all, authorities said.

They were also often sometimes prescribed with little more than a brief phone conversation or with no doctor-patient interaction.

The US Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General had prev iously warned about fraudsters peddling DNA tests targeting victims through telemarketing, booths at public events and doorto-door visits.

In some cases, t he agenc y has sa id, t he per pet rators bi l l t h e g o v e r n m e nt m o r e t h a n $13,0 0 0 per person.

Bloomberg News

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BusinessMi

Saturday, October 12, 2019 | Editor: Jun Lomibao

THOMAS OPENS UP ABOUT MENTAL FATIGUE AFTER TOUR DE FRANCE GERAINT THOMAS: The difference between winning the Tour and coming second is massive.

A

FTER a roller-coaster 15 months, Geraint Thomas headed into the World Championships road race with few expectations on his shoulders as he tried to burn the last embers of energy of a physically and mentally demanding period of his career.

When the Team Ineos rider won the Tour de France in 2018, he was on cloud nine, surfing a wave of euphoria as Wales’s first Grand Tour winner. The commitments of a Tour winner are never-ending and while a world of celeb selfies, awards and personal appearance might be novel for a short period, they are ultimately distractions from the real world of professional cycling, where sacrifice, hardship, most important, commitment are paramount.

This year, Thomas started his season on the back foot and despite admirably chasing a second straight Tour title—he was never quite able to replicate the form and finesse he demonstrated in 2018.

The physical nature of the sport is easy to see from television screens, Strava segments, and power files but the real toll is often mental, with pressure and intensity almost immensurable for a rider expected to challenge for victory at the Tour de France.

On the eve of the World Championships, Thomas is relaxed. The glare of Tour success has shifted to Egan Bernal, and Thomas’s body language is back to the casual and almost nonchalant levels of before his 2018 victory.

“For me, it was just the mental side of it,” he says when asked about lingering fatigue from this year’s Tour. “It was a hard race and when that’s you at the pinnacle and everything has built up toward that, you’ve got the Worlds and you want to build up for that, it’s just difficult.”

“The difference between winning the Tour and coming second is massive. Last year when I won it was just constant. Your phone is constantly going and you’re going pulled left right and center. You come second and no one really cares. You’re back to normal and you’re back to business. It’s tough because I’m all or nothing.”

Thomas’s track days were built around steep peaks and troughs in terms of form and focus. He has applied the same principles to his road career and is currently on a dip after a long season. This winter is more about recharging the mind than the body.

“When you have a big goal it’s all geared to all that and it’s so intense.

Once that’s done you need that time to just relax. There are some guys who [are] always at 90 percent but to win and perform at the races, I need to be at 100 percent and then down at 50 [percent] for other parts of the year. I’ve always had that mentality since my days on the track,” he says.

“With the Tour being a big goal you then have a down period through November and then the whole buildup starts. It’s hard to get out of that routine, unless you have different goals.”

THE CLIMB A group of riders climbs Norwood Edge during the women elite race from Bradford to Harrogate in England at the road recent World Road Cycling Championships. AP

BERNAL GEARS UP

EARLY FOR 2020 T EAM Ineos’Egan Bernal looked beyond his sixth place at Milano-Torino, and shrugged off any sense of disappointment, explaining he is just happy to be competitive and enjoying his racing after an incredible 2019 season and victory at the Tour de France.

Bernal’s life changed forever when he became the first-ever Colombian to win the Tour de France in July. He was celebrated as a national hero when he returned home and only returned to racing in mid-September. While most other Tour de France riders have already ended their season, cracking mentally and physically, Bernal has kept going and done some hard training with the hope of an enjoyable end to his season.

His end-of-season Italian race program is

designed to keep him fit and lay the foundations for an even more successful 2020, when he will try to repeat his Tour victory.

“I just want a good end of season,” Bernal said beyond the Superga finish line near Turin.

“I don’t want to put on 10 kilos and so have to ride like crazy in December and January to lose it,” he said recently to La Gazzetta dello Sport. “I’ve been in top form in Colombia, Paris-Nice, Catalunya, Suisse and the Tour. I’ve been on the limit all year and so I want to just enjoy my final races.”

Bernal clocked up some long rides while at home in Colombia in August but has only ridden six one-day races since his return. He was beaten

by Giovanni Visconti (Neri Sottoli) at the testing Giro della Toscana but opted not to ride the World

Championships in Yorkshire.

His long season of racing has left him with a solid base of form, but he lacks the top-end form to race aggressively and respond to the numerous attacks that Michael Woods (EF Education First) and David Gaudu (Groupama-FDJ) launched on the climb to Superga. He was able to gradually close the gap but had little left when Woods surged to victory ahead of Alejandro Valverde (Movistar) and Adam Yates (Mitchelton-Scott).

“I felt really good, but I’m lacking a bit when there are changes of pace. That caused me to suffer a lot and I had to go at my own pace,” Bernal admitted.

“I enjoyed the race though; I was up there and it’s nice to end the season in good condition

and so set up the next season. I’m also happy to be racing in Piemonte. These races are close to where I lived until two years ago when I raced with the Androni Giocattoli team.”

Bernal is expected to target victory at Thursday’s Gran Piemonte, with the 10 kilometer climb to the Oropa Sanctuary suiting his climbing skills. He is not concerned about resting up before Saturday’s Il Lombardia, where he will share leadership with Gianni Moscon.

“I simply wanted to enjoy these races, I’m not thinking about one in particular. When I was at home in Colombia, I didn’t focus on preparing for Il Lombardia. I’ve just trained to enjoy myself all the way to end of what has already been a magical season for me.” Cyclingnews

BMX RISES W RAPIDLY UNDER U.C.I.

AUSTRALIA’S Logan Martin dominates in Chengdu, China.

THE WHITE NOISE

EGAN BERNAL lays foundation for 2020 while enjoying end-of-season Italian races.

HEN the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) integrated BMX Freestyle Park into its disciplines in 2016, a lot of work was still required to prepare the discipline for the Olympic stage.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was interested in BMX Freestyle Park, but the discipline needed to be more structured. It was not so much that rules and regulations needed to be invented, more that they needed to be put into writing. Previously, most BMX Freestyle events were held “on the fly” and often thanks to spontaneous creativity.

Under the UCI, a rulebook was created and has, subsequently, been adjusted on an annual basis to improve the lot for BMX Freestyle. Now all riders can refer to this document to find out how an event will be run under the UCI. The UCI BMX Freestyle rules and regulations contain necessary information, such as the length of a run, what the judges are looking for, competition format and the number of UCI points available at each event on the UCI calendar. The rules are the same for everyone.

In 2016, there were five UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Cup rounds, the first taking place in May in Montpellier (France), the hometown of organizers Hurricane Action Sports. The opener was followed by rounds in Croatia, the United States, Canada and China.

For the first time, the women BMX athletes had a world stage, as a Women’s class competition was held at each of the UCI’s events. It was the start of something big.

The following year there were again five events in the UCI BMX Freestyle World Cup. The fact that the sport of BMX Freestyle—if executed correctly—had Olympic potential, saw a lot more riders become part of the program. At the 2017 UCI World Cup in Montpellier, the visiting IOC observers were impressed by both the number of spectators, and the crowd’s reaction to the riders’ tricks.

In just 12 months, the Women’s field had nearly doubled in size and the best BMX Park riders had embraced the UCI World Cup as one of their most important series. At the competition in France, the riders put on an amazing show, and just a few weeks later came the news that BMX Freestyle Park would be an Olympic discipline in Tokyo, Japan, 2020.

“WHEN you actually sit back and look at it, it’s full on. You finally just relax, and I went away for five days to Greece with my wife and switched off completely and then it’s when you just get back on your bike and get going again. All that buildup, which you’ve kind of suppressed in a way, it comes out and it’s quite hard to really sort of reach those heights again so soon.” Cyclingnews

Naturally, interest in the discipline grew strongly after this announcement. For the first time in history at the 2017 UCI Urban Cycling World Championships, the rainbow jerseys of UCI World Champions were awarded—and they went to Logan Martin (AUS) and Hannah Roberts (US) for their performances in Chengdu, China.

By 2018, National cycling Federations had become more involved in BMX Freestyle. Licences were issued by the Federations and there were opportunities to add events to the UCI’s international calendar. Instead of the five UCI events in 2016 and 2017, the calendar mushroomed to 24 competitions, including official National Championships in several countries.

More and more riders were becoming part of the new BMX Freestyle structure. The Women’s side of the sport saw especially big growth, not only in numbers (30 female riders competed in the UCI World Cup in Montpellier this year) but also in quality. Support from coaches, Federations and sponsors have helped develop Freestyle riding to a standard we’d never seen before.

The Olympic qualifying criteria were announced in 2018 and two new UCI BMX Freestyle Park World Champions were crowned: Justin Dowell and Perris Benegas, both of the US. The Flatland discipline also saw the first official UCI World Cup winners, Matthias Dandois (France) and Misaki Katagiri (Japan), picking up their cups in China.

Roll on 2019 and we have 67 BMX Freestyle Park events on the international UCI calendar: confirmation of the international development of the sport. At the end of 2019 we will also have the first continental championships in BMX Freestyle Park.

The BMX Freestyle Park ranking is an interesting way of keeping track on how the riders are doing individually, how the nations are ranked and who is looking good for Tokyo 2020. Over the past 12 months, 232 male riders have scored UCI points at events and 79 Women are listed in the UCI points ranking... an amazing leap forward from 2016 when five women entered that first UCI World Cup in Montpellier.

2020 will be the first time we will have Olympians in BMX Freestyle competing for a medal in the Park discipline. It’s something many are looking forward to already. UCI News

irror CYCLING

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HE discipline of cyclo-cross is enjoying increasing popularity, particularly among young riders, as demonstrated by the training camp being held this week at the International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cycling Centre (WCC) in Aigle, Switzerland.

A record 12 nations were represented at the six-day camp, which is held annually for young athletes in the discipline.

The UCI WCC received 37 applications for the camp, from which it made a final selection of 20, who are training under the expert guidance of Rudy de Bie, Belgium’s national coach for 15 years and now in charge of the youth movement

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph | Saturday, October 12, 2019

SPOTLIGHT ON CYCLO-CROSS

THE Netherlands’s Mathieu van der Poel catches his breathe

for Cycling Vlaanderen, and Belgium’s current national cyclo-cross Coach Sven Vanthourenhout, former Under 23 UCI World Champion and twotime bronze medalist at Elite level.

Aged 16 to 19, the cyclo-cross riders—9 females and 11 males—came from Switzerland, Germany, Luxemburg, Italy, Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden, Russia, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Israel and the United States.

Israel does not have a cyclo-cross tradition, but 16-year-old Naomi Luria jumped at the chance to train with her counterparts from around the world. On her return home from the UEC MTB Youth European Championships in Italy in August,

Cycling eSports: A new UCI discipline

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HE Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Zwift, a global online training and racing platform for athletes, for

A7

the governance and development of cycling eSports as a new cycling discipline.

This MOU follows the integration of cycling eSports into the UCI Constitution,

Luria set aside her mountain bike and borrowed a cyclo-cross bike to get ready for the camp.

“We built a track and did some mock races as simulations. I also watched cyclo-cross racing as part of my preparation,” Luria said. “I am learning so much here [at the UCI WCC] and feel I am getting better with each lap of the cyclo-cross track.”

Estonian Kätlin Kukk took up cyclo-cross four years ago at the age of 14. Her father, Sigvard Kukk, a former professional cyclist, launched the Estonian National Cyclo-cross Championships, and it has been “her” discipline ever since. Her week in Switzerland is helping her develop skills, in particular, bunny hopping.

Before returning to Switzerland for the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Dübendorf in February, she will spend some time in Belgium training with the international youth cycling team Cannibal.

Nearly all the training camp participants will participate in the EKZ CrossTour Aigle being organized in the grounds of the UCI WCC on Sunday, October 6.

A further sign of the discipline’s growth is the registration of an impressive 60 riders in the Junior Men’s category at the EKZ CrossTour Aigle, compared to just 17 last year.

A new UCI regulation requiring organizers of events on the UCI International Cyclo-cross Calendar

to stage a separate Junior race has met with similar success and popularity worldwide. Road cycling stars put cyclo-cross skills to good use Current road cycling stars undoubtedly have a role to play in this growing popularity.

The Netherlands’s Mathieu van der Poel, who shone in this year’s Spring Classics with victories in A Travers La Flandre and Amstel Gold Race, is reigning and two-time cyclo-cross UCI World Champion. His cyclo-cross rival and three-time UCI World Champion, Belgian Wout van Aert made waves in his first appearance at the Tour de France this year, including a victory in the 10th stage from Saint Flour to Albi. French road cycling star

Julian Alaphilippe also started off in cyclo-cross, with UCI World Championship medals as a Junior and Under 23 rider, as did Peter Sagan, Junior UCI World Champion in 2008.

Other incredibly successful cross-discipline athletes include the Netherlands’s Marianne Vos, Czech Zdeněk Štybar, the Dutch Mike Teunissen, the Italian Matteo Trentin...the list continues.

These athletes have stand-out bike handling skills thanks to their hours on the cyclo-cross bike.

Skills that enable them to adapt quickly to changing conditions, maneuver their bikes with dexterity in the peloton and read race situations, even without the input of a race director. UCI News

which was approved by the Federation’s Congress in September 2018 in Innsbruck, Austria. The objective is twofold—to establish requirements that guarantee the speciality meets the standards of sporting integrity and fairness necessary for all UCI-sanctioned disciplines and to launch the inaugural UCI

Cycling ESports World Championships in 2020, as well as qualification events for these championships, on the Zwift platform.

As a reminder, Zwift was recently confirmed as Official Supplier to the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire (Great Britain).

As part of the MOU, the UCI and Zwift will collaborate to ensure the sporting credibility of cycling eSports events.

This will include the establishment of a hardware programme that is reliable enough to be used in events sanctioned by the UCI, a performance verification program that will

validate a rider’s performance and ward against technological fraud, and a rider identification system, including height and weight.

Moreover, different formats of racing, for individuals and teams, will be tested. The UCI Regulations will be updated accordingly.

UCI News

Sports BusinessMirror

A8 Saturday, October 12, 2019

MOUTHS SHUT

IN SHANGHAI L

By Tim Reynolds

The Associated Press

EBRON JAMES raised his arms in appreciation of the cheering crowd in Shanghai shortly after the final buzzer, then removed his headband and flipped it toward some ticket holders clamoring for a one-of-a-kind souvenir.

He was seen.

He wasn’t heard, though. Nor was any other player or coach in China, in a National Basketball Association (NBA) game like none other.

In response to the NBA defending Daryl Morey’s freedom of speech, Chinese officials took it away from the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets. All of the usual media sessions that were to be part of the teams’ preseason game on Thursday—including a news conference from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and postgame news conferences with the teams—were canceled. It was the latest salvo in the rift between the league and China stemming from a since-deleted tweet posted last week

by Morey, the general manager of the Houston Rockets.

“There will be no media availabilities for tonight’s game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers,” the NBA said in a statement Thursday, released a few hours before the game.

And there wasn’t. They came. They played. They left. They didn’t talk.

The game was held as scheduled, with James and Nets guard Kyrie Irving getting loud ovations when they were introduced as starters. But neither the US nor the Chinese national anthem was played before the game, and no players addressed the crowd before tip-off in a departure from tradition before such international games. Fans arriving at the arena to watch—many of them donning NBA jerseys—were handed small Chinese flags to carry with them inside, and at least one person carried a sign critical of Silver.

The Nets won, 114-111. That is not why this game will be remembered.

Virtually all corporate signage was removed from the playing surface and other spots in Mercedes-Benz Arena, fans carried tiny Chinese flags and some even painted their country’s colors onto the faces.

“If we have to choose, we will choose to support our country,” said fan Ma

Shipeng, who brought 900 miniature Chinese flags to hand out to fellow fans.

“We only like some particular basketball players, but we don’t like NBA anymore.

I give away Chinese flags tonight, as I hope people to put the national interest in front of following NBA. I will continue to support James. But none of our Chinese people would accept what Morey and Silver said.”

Morey’s tweet that showed support for anti-government protesters in Hong Kong has put a massive dent in the multibillion-dollar relationship between China and the NBA. And that tweet was why Chinese officials did not permit questions to be asked in Shanghai.

In Tokyo, it was the Rockets not permitting certain questions.

After Houston finished its twogame preseason series in Tokyo against Toronto on Thursday, CNN reporter Christina Macfarlane tried to ask Rockets guards James Harden and Russell Westbrook if they would be hesitant to speak out about political or societal issues going forward after having seen the fallout from Morey’s tweet.

A Rockets media official did not allow the question to be answered. The NBA later apologized to Macfarlane, saying the Rockets’ decision was inappropriate.

“We’ve apologized to Ms. Macfarlane as this was inconsistent with how the NBA

LeBron James wasn’t heard. Nor was any other player or coach in China, in a National Basketball Association game like none other.

conducts media events,” the NBA said.

Other than the no-media-session mandate, the Lakers-Nets game was no different than any other game. Most seats were filled, and fans reacted as they would normally—oohs and aahs for good plays, applause for baskets, the loudest cheers coming whenever James touched the ball. It appeared most fans stayed until the end, even though James and fellow Lakers standout Anthony Davis didn’t play down the stretch and Irving left after just 66 seconds with an aggravation of a facial fracture.

“I understand that there are consequences from that exercise of, in essence, (Morey’s) freedom of speech,” Silver said at a news conference in Tokyo earlier this week. “We will have to live with those consequences.”

There were many.

Most events in advance of the game, such as NBA Cares events to benefit educational causes and the Special Olympics, were called off, as was a “fan night” where Lakers and Nets players were to interact directly with some Chinese ticketholders. Signage in Shanghai to promote the game was

ripped down, and mentions of the game were scrubbed from the arena web site.

All that comes as many Chinese corporations suspended their business ties to the NBA. Chinese state broadcaster CCTV did not show Thursday’s Lakers-Nets game and does not plan to show their next matchup at Shenzhen on Saturday. NBA broadcast partner Tencent has said it is changing its coverage plans for the league as well, and canceled credential requests in some US arenas for preseason games this week.

Plus, the NBA apparently has to mend a fence with Rockets great Yao Ming, a Basketball Hall of Famer and now the president of the Chinese Basketball Association. The CBA has also suspended its ties with Houston as part of the Morey tweet fallout.

The Rockets were extremely popular in China, largely because of Yao. But the team’s merchandise has not been for sale in China for several days, and some murals featuring the team’s stars and logo have been painted over. Morey has been silent on the matter since tweets Sunday where he attempted to make amends.

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Leisure Estates to negate a doublebogey mishap on the par-three No. 3.

Alido rued his daylong bout with his balky putter, missing three birdie chances from close range but his 71 and a 209 still lined him up for a breakthrough win in the P3 million event sponsored by ICTSI. “I f lubbed t hree shor t bird ie putts [Nos. 4, 10 and 13],” rued the 18-year-old Alido, out not only for his maiden victory but also to erase the stigma of his final round fold at Philippine Golf Tour (PGT) Asia leg at Wack Wack which he led in the third round but wavered in the last 18 holes and wound up fifth.

“I need to stay focused on my game,” Alido said.

He also needs to watch out for Mondilla and Bibat, two veterans also motivated by desire to end a

YULO GUNS FOR GOLD MEDAL W ITH his ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games assured, Carlos Edriel Yulo will gun for gold in the floor exercise at the start of the apparatus finals on Saturday of the 49th International Gymnastics Federation Artistic Gymnastics World Championships at the Hanns Martin Schleyer Halle on Thursday in Stuttgart, Germany.

Yulo, whose stint here is funded by the Philippine Sports Commission, is seeking to surpass his bagging of the floor exercise bronze medal during his debut in the previous edition held in Doha, Qatar, last year.

While the weather outside this hilly German City has been generally chilly, action inside the arena is expected to heat up featuring the top 24 finalists in both the men’s and women’s divisions, among them the celebrated American gymnast Simone Biles, who take to the floor at 4 p.m. (10 p.m. Manila time).

“I want to win the gold—for my family and Coach Mune,” said the soft-spoken athlete shortly after he qualified for the event in placing seventh overall in the apparatus with a high score of 14.633 points, higher than his bronze-medal score of 14.600 in Doha.

Coach Mune, of course, is Japanese Munehiro Kugimiya, who has been supervising Yulo’s training for over six years now

and fashioned the Filipino into the worldclass athlete that he is at present.

The Gymnastics Association of the Philippines protégé showed what it takes to be on top of his favorite event in securing the gold medal in the opening leg of the FIG Individual Apparatus World Cup last January in Melbourne, Australia.

Yulo bared that this is why Kugimiya raised the difficulty rating of his routine from 6.2 to 6.5, the highest among the eight floor exercise finalists, which was also rating as Russian defending floor exercise champion Artur Dalaloyan, who placed fifth in the qualifiers with a tally of 14.733 points.

He also has to reckon with the other finalists, including Israel’s Artem Dolgopyat, who emerged as the topnotcher in the qualifiers with a tally of 15.033 points.

But Dolgopyat, a two-time floor exercise silver medalist in the European championships, merely finished fifth overall in the last world meet in Doha, something which Yulo will be well aware of.

Already secured of a slot in the men’s all-around event in next year’s 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Yulo can add another event to his Olympic outing should he manage a podium finish on Saturday, which, hopefully, turns out to be a glittering gold.

PHISGOC PARTNERS WITH MILO FOR GAMES

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HILIPPINE Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) Chairman and House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano thanked Milo for supporting the 30th Southeast Asian Games.

Cayetano recognized Milo for “putting action into faith” after more than 40 decades of unwavering support for Philippine sports. As an advocate for sports, Cayetano also appreciated their efforts to help the Filipino athletes put value into sports and promote every child’s health.

“We all know that in sports, whether it’s the coaches, the parents of the athletes, the athletes, the fans that are cheering their idols on, they’re full of faith. But it is really when the athletes focus, they give their all, commitment, passion, sacrifice where faith becomes alive.” Cayetano said during the launching of the Milo partnership with Phisgoc for the SEA games hosting in Manila the other day.

He also assured the public that the stakeholders in sports and the organizing committee are now united and are putting all action into their faith.

Cayetano noted that there were a number of challenges and difficulties in preparing for the international multisport event

especially because of the delay and the reduction of the games budget.

But with the support of Milo and other private-sector partners, Phisgoc is positive that the SEA games hosting will be successful.

The Phisgoc chief also stressed that the organizing committee together with Philippine Sports Commission and Philippine Olympic Committee are stepping up the procurement of the sports equipment and other supplies that will be used for the forthcoming events.

He called the Philippine hosting of the SEA games as a golden opportunity to relaunch the Filipino brand and reinvigorate sport tourism in the country.

“By putting the Southeast Asian Games in the Philippines in a new city outside of Metro Manila, we are relaunching the new Filipino brand.” Cayetano explained.

Cayetano believes that our leaders need to learn and appreciate the commitment, passion and sacrifice of the Filipino athletes as these traits are necessary to help achieve the President’s vision—“safe and comfortable” life for every for everyone.

MAROONS SQUARE OFF WITH RED WARRIORS

By Ramon Rafael Bonilla

U LOS Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James passes the ball during a preseason NBA game against Brooklyn Nets in Shanghai, China, Thursday. All of the usual media sessions surrounding the Lakers-Nets preseason game in Shanghai on Thursday—including a scheduled news conference from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and postgame news conferences with the teams—were canceled. AP

3 SHARE LEAD IN DAVAO LYDE MONDILLA and Michael Bibat birdied the last hole f rom c lose ra nge i n separate flights, carding a 68 and 70, respectively, and catching halfway leader Ira Alido at the helm in a thrilling third-round duel in the International Container Terminal Services Inc. (ICTSI)South Pacific Classic in Davao on Friday.

And, Tony Lascuña guaranteed a final round shootout by coming through with his own version of a 68 that pulled him within one stroke off the leaders and kept him on track for a third straight championship after winning in Taiwan and at Apo the last two weeks.

“The pressure is now them,” said Lascuña, who started the day four shots off Alido but gunned down six birdies at the South Pacific Golf &

mirror_sports@yahoo.com.ph • Editor: Jun Lomibao

slump in the circuit organized by Pilipinas Golf Tournaments Inc., and Lascuña, who threatened at 210.

Mondilla, whose form took a dip after claiming the Philippine Open at T he Countr y Club last Apr il, pressed his bid with four birdies in the first 15 holes. He stumbled with a bogey on the 17th but recovered the stroke with a birdie from 4 feet on the 18th.

Bibat, still in pursuit of a crown since winning at Palos Verdes in 2013, actually took charge with a four-birdie binge at the front. But the former Asian Games bronze medalist, who lost to Juvic Pagunsan in a playoff in Iloilo last June, hobbled at the back, bogeying Nos. 12, 14 and 17 but rolled in a 6-footer for birdie on the last to gain a shot at the crown worth P550,000.

CLYDE MONDILLA presses his bid with four birdies in the first 15 holes. NONOY LACZA

The rest would need to shoot low rounds to sneak into the title picture with Richard Sinfuego and obscure Rico Depilo moving to joint fifth but three strokes behind the leaders at 212 after a 71 and 72, respectively.

Japanese Ryo Nishimura and Fidel Concepcion from Australia emerged as the top foreign bets after 54 holes at 213 after a 66 and 71, respectively, in a tie with Paul Echavez, who shot a 70, while Korean-American Micah Shin rallied with a 68 but stood five shots behind at 214 with Japanese Kei Matsuoka and Ferdie Aunzo, who carded 70 and 71, respectively.

NIVERSITY of the Philippines (UP) tries to bounce back and create more separation from a chasing pack when it tackles University of the East (UE) in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines Season 82 men’s basketball tournament on Saturday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

The Fighting Maroons are still reeling from a painful 79-82 overtime loss to the Far Eastern University Tamaraws last Sunday.

The setback, however, should not demoralize the Maroons, who are caught in a tight Final Four race.

At 5-3 won-lost, UP is in second place behind defending champion Ateneo (9-0).

Not far behind are University of Santo Tomas (5-4), De La Salle (4-4) and FEU (4-5).

One wrong step and the the Dilimanbased squad could be doomed.

Up to challenge, the runners-up last season are the Red Warriors (3-6), who are also raring to join the fight for a semifinals spot. Action is set at 4 p.m.

In the first round, UP escaped past resilient UE squad with a 62-56 win in Antipolo City.

In the 2 p.m. encounter, National University (2-7) tries to make it two in a row in a game against Adamson University (3-6).

AQUATHLON SERIES WRAPS UP IN IMUS

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HE Sun Life Aquathlon, a multisport racing event hosted

by Sun Life Philippines in partnership with BikeKing Philippines, will award its winners during the series finale on Sunday at the Vermosa Sports Hub in Imus City, Cavite.

The event will mark the conclusion of the Sun Life Aquathlon Series Championship Series 2019, which includes the Vermosa Sports Hub Aquathlon 1, Vermosa Sports Hub Aquathlon 2 and the Aquaman Aquathlon.

“Hosting the Sun Life Aquathlon enables Sun Life to nurture the growing interest of Filipinos in multisport events. This is very much aligned with our thrust to promote health and wellness in the country,” Sun Life Chief Marketing Officer Mylene Lopa said.

Now on its third year, the race will see almost 400 participants racing for points in the last leg of the series.

Categories are divided by age-appropriate distances— the shortest course is a 100-meter swim combined with a 1-kilometer run designed for children ages seven to eight and the longest course is a 500-meter swim combined with a 5-kilometer run for participants 15 years old and above.

The series points will be tallied, and the top aquathlete of 2019 and other champions of the series will be announced during the awarding ceremony. The top 3 winners of each age-group category will receive specially designed finisher medals and gift packs.

BusinessMirror

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

FROM left: Sel Guevara, sportscaster, ESPN Philippines; Dylan Wang, Skyworth Hong Kong; Martin Han, general manager, Skyworth; Ronald So, overseas marketing director, Skyworth; Mae Tajima, former AdMU Lady Eagles volleyball player; Rex Intal, former UAAP champion and AdMU Men’s Volleyball team player; figure skater Michael Martinez; Johnny Yi, operations director, Skyworth; Benjamin Yuoankee, deputy general manager, Skyworth; and Ron Kelvin Famorca, training officer, Skyworth

SHOP WITH PAYMAYA AND GET SOME CASHBACK

THE shopping season is in full swing and consumers can get not only the best discounts on deals when they shop online and in store, but also so much more when they shop with their PayMaya card or use PayMaya QR. Take advantage of zero-in on online and in-store deals you have been wishing for when you use your PayMaya card or pay using QR for your online and in-store shopping this October—and get as much as P3,000 in cashback for all your purchases.

Go crazy shopping online at some of the most popular e-commerce sites and snag the latest fashion finds, gadget trends, and home items because shoppers can get up to 100 percent cashback (maximum P1,000 for October) for all transactions. And those who go crazy and rack up a total of P5,000 spend also get a P500 cashback on top of everything else.

Also enjoy 100 percent cashback (maximum P1,000 for October) for each spend and a P500 reward for an accumulated P5,000 purchase this October when consumers scan to pay with their phone using PayMaya QR. A list of merchants that accept PayMaya QR is available at pymy.co/QRmerchants.

Those who don’t have a PayMaya account yet can get one so they can take advantage of all the cashback rewards and other deals. Download the PayMaya app for iOS or Android to sign up. More information on the deals available can be found at www.paymaya.com/deals.

The digital financial services arm of Voyager Innovations, PayMaya is the only financial technology company in the Philippines offering integrated consumer and merchant payment solutions with the widest onground branch network. It is the first to give millions of Filipinos an e-wallet that allows them cashless transactions at any time of the day, anywhere in the world and from any device.

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THE iFlytek Easy Trans 2.0 Portable Smart Electronic Voice Language Translator device, a two-way electronic pocket voice translator for a variety of languages, on display at CES International in Las Vegas. The United States is blacklisting a group of Chinese tech companies that develop facial recognition and other artificialintelligence technology, including iFlytek. AP

Saturday, October 12, 2019 A9

FROM left: Ang Kar Yong of Alpha Play Singapore; Jason Tee, ATFX SEA business development manager; Justin Lee, ATFX-Taiwan special analyst; Joyce Mayo, SmarTrade president; Martin Lam, ATFX Asia Pacific chief analyst; Mike Acosta of MacEconomics; and Alex Samso of PAFTI

Filipino company specializes in online trading literacy PRIMETIME

DINNA CHAN VASQUEZ @dinnachanvasquez luckydinna@gmail.com

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N the Philippines, financial literacy is still considered to be at its infancy stage. It is not for lack of trying. Institutions have not been lacking in trying to educate their consumers on financial matters, such as taking care of their credit history and investing in sound financial instruments.

Online trading in the Philippines, however, is still in its baby stage. SmarTrade sees this as a challenge.

“Our goal is to build a fair and transparent trading community and, at the same time, to uplift and innovate financial education in the country by giving free learning sessions for everyone,” said SmarTrade President Joyce Mayo.

Recently, SmarTrade organized Strategy or Tragedy: The Truth and Myths about Trading and Investment, a one-day seminar held at the SMX Convention Center in Davao City. The event was attended by 300 participants who were interested to improve their trading skills through the lecture series given by experts from different financial institutions.

The event started with a talk from one of the prominent financial educators in Singapore, Ang Kar Yong, chief currency strategist of Alpha Play Forex

Trading School. He outlined several techniques on how to gain income from trading without spending unnecessary time and money.

Martin Lam, chief analyst for Asia Pacific of AT Global Markets, a leading global online trading company, highlighted the necessity of studying the different strategies in trading, such as monitoring market movements. Jason Tee and Justin Lee from ATFX talked about assessing different financial instruments, trading psychology and reading charts, among others.

Mike Acosta, founder of MacEconomics Financial Market Consultancy Inc., engaged the audience with his talk on the different investment products, such as shares, indices and cryptocurrencies. Alex Samson, director of Philippine Association of Forex Traders Inc., talked about different methods on how to manage different kinds of investments and financial instruments.

“We are very grateful to everyone who attended and who continuously supports all our learning sessions, and to our speakers who unselfishly shared their knowledge and expertise in the field,” said Mayo.

Mayo holds free introductory seminars on online trading every Thursday and Friday, and advanced workshops every Wednesday at the SmarTrade Training Center in Philam Life Building, Paseo de Roxas Street, Makati.

In other news, Skyworth was recently named the Official Television Partner of the 30th SEA Games in Manila. “Just like Filipinos, sports has always been embedded in Skyworth’s DNA. We are committed to giving Filipinos the best viewing experiences of the 2019 SEA Games. Through immersive viewing experiences, we want to create opportunities for

US seeks to blacklist Chinese artificial-intelligence firms

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BY MATT O’BRIEN The Associated Press

HE United States is blacklisting a group of Chinese tech companies that develop facial recognition and other artificial-intelligence technology that the US says is being used to repress China’s Muslim minority groups.

A move Monday by the US Commerce Department puts the companies on a so-called Entity List for acting contrary to American foreign policy interests.

The blacklist effectively bars US firms from selling technology to the Chinese companies without government approval.

Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said in a written statement on Monday that the US government “will not tolerate the brutal suppression of ethnic minorities within China.”

The blacklisted companies include Hikvision and Dahua, both of which are global providers of video

surveillance technology.

Hikvision said in a statement Monday that it respects human rights and strongly opposes the Trump administration’s decision. The company said it has spent a year trying to “clarify misunderstandings about the company and address their concerns,” and that this will hurt its US business partners.

Prominent Chinese AI firms, such as Sense Time, Megvii and iFlytek are also on the list. Sense Time and Megvii are known for the development of computer vision technology that underpins facial recognition products, while iFlytek is known for its voice recognition and translation services.

The companies are among 28 organizations added to the blacklist Monday. Along with the tech companies, the Commerce Department’s filing targets local government agencies in China’s northwestern Xinjiang region. The filing said the listed groups have been implicated in “China’s campaign of repression, mass arbitrary detention, and high-technology

surveillance” against Uighurs, Kazakhs and other predominantly Muslim minority groups.

The Chinese Embassy and several of the targeted companies didn’t immediately return requests for comment on Monday. The Trump administration earlier this year used the same blacklisting process to punish Huawei, the Chinese telecom giant targeted by the US over national security concerns. Added to the list in June were five Chinese groups working in supercomputing. Ross said on Monday’s action will ensure US technologies “are not used to repress defenseless minority populations.”

China is estimated to have detained up to 1 million Muslims in prison-like detention centers in the region. The detentions come on top of harsh travel restrictions and a massive surveillance network equipped with facial recognition technology. China has denied committing abuses in the centers and has described them as schools aimed at providing employable skills and combating extremism.

Filipinos to come together and celebrate their love of sports,” said Skyworth dDeputy General Manager Benjamin Yuoankee. With exciting new breakthroughs in AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) and cutting edge-technology, Skyworth is committed to elevating sports entertainment. From AI to Infinity Screen Borderless Design, the company is redefining the viewing experience.

Skyworth’s AIoT ecosystem allows fans to indulge with a genuine Smart TV viewing experience where they can easily obtain sports and SEA Games-related programs through the voice search function.

With Dolby Audio, Skyworth’s latest proprietary picture technologies Chameleon Extreme and Trochilus Extreme, and Swaiot, viewers are assured of unparalleled visual and audio quality. Skyworth’s Infinity Screen Borderless Design allows sports fans to enjoy a fully immersive viewing experience.

All these features can be found in the flagship model, the XA9000. With more than 8 million pixels, the Ultra HD OLED TV will ensure viewers enjoy every highlight in full detail. It’s as if they are actually there.

Via a lucky draw on October 28, 2019, the company will give Skyworth TV owners the chance to take home a 55XA9000, so they can enjoy a fully immersive SEA Games experience from the comforts of their own homes. But for those that want the realest experience, the TV brand is also giving select winners tickets to the 2019 SEA Games, so they can cheer and support the Filipino athletes live.

Additionally, Skyworth is running a “Big TV Nationwide Promo” until December 31, 2019, where the company is marking down its 55” and 65” 4K AI TVs across all stores nationwide. ■

BusinessMirror

A10 Saturday, October 12, 2019

www.businessmirror.com.ph

US authorities seek access to Facebook encrypted messaging

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BY ANICK JESDANUN The Associated Press

EW YORK—US Atty. General William Barr and other US, the UK and Australian officials are pressing Facebook to give authorities a way to read encrypted messages sent by ordinary users, reigniting tensions between tech companies and law enforcement.

Facebook’s WhatsApp already uses so-called endto-end encryption, which locks up messages so that even Facebook can’t read their contents. Facebook plans to extend that protection to Messenger and Instagram Direct.

But the officials will ask Facebook to hold off in an open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg . A copy of the letter, dated Friday, was obtained by The Associated Press.

“Companies should not deliberately design their systems to preclude any form of access to content, even for preventing or investigating the most serious crimes,” the officials wrote. The letter repeatedly emphasizes the dangers of child sexual exploitation to justify their stance.

Law enforcement has long sought a way to read encrypted messages that’s analogous to wiretaps for phone calls. Security experts, however, say giving police such access makes messaging insecure for everyone. Redesigning encryption to create

“backdoors” for police also creates vulnerabilities that criminals or foreign spies can exploit, they said.

“Every couple of years, the FBI rears its ugly head and tells us they need to have access to end-to-end encrypted messaging,” said Eva Galperin, director of cyber security at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a digital-rights advocacy group.

“You cannot make a backdoor that only good guys can go through.”

Facebook said Thursday that people have the right to have private conversations online, and that companies are already able to respond to government agencies when they receive valid legal requests.

“We strongly oppose government attempts to build backdoors because they would undermine the privacy and security of people everywhere,” Facebook Spokesman Joe Osborne said in a statement.

The letter marks yet another salvo in the Justice department’s continuing effort to persuade technology companies to weaken or bypass encryption upon requests from law enforcement.

Former FBI Director James Comey championed the need for law enforcement to find a work-around for encrypted devices and communications. He led a highly publicized push to gain access to an iPhone belonging to one perpetrator of a terrorist attack in San Bernardino, California, that killed 14 people in 2015. Apple resisted such efforts and went to court to block an FBI demand for Apple to disable security

measures that complicated efforts to guess the phone’s passcode. While the FBI cast its request as a limited emergency measure, CEO Tim Cook argued that the technique could easily be used again, making iPhone users more vulnerable to spies and thieves. The FBI relented after it found another way of getting into the San Bernardino phone.

Barr will make the request to Facebook in a letter with US Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, UK Home Secretary Priti Patel and Australia Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.

BuzzFeed News reported on the letter earlier.

The Justice department calls the growing use of end-to-end encrypted communications the “going dark” problem, referencing the way encryption shields information that law enforcement could previously access easily. Barr gave lengthy comments on what he described as a dangerous increase in device encryption at a cyber-security conference this summer in New York. During his comments, Barr specifically detailed the use of WhatsApp group chat by a drug cartel to coordinate the murders of Mexicobased police officials.

In announcing plans in March to expand encryption, Zuckerberg acknowledged that the privacy protection it affords extends to “the privacy of people doing bad things.” He said Facebook was working on better ways to detect patterns of bad behavior, without seeing contents of messages. ■

and online outlets.”

According to Nilo Mapa, president of BFY Corp., the exclusive distributor of JUUL Labs products in the Philippines, the newly launched e-commerce platform also serves as a way of protecting consumers from counterfeit or alleged “JUULcompatible products” that are often of highly questionable quality.

“We greatly value the continued trust and patronage of our adult customers, and will continue to employ systems and procedures that guarantee the quality and integrity of JUUL Labs’ products,” Mapa said.

SAMSUNG has been making waves with its recent launches aimed toward the New Work Tribe. This group of individuals live out their passions by transforming them into fulfilling careers using purposeful tools that can bring them to the next level—one of which is the newest Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2, which now hits stores nationwide.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 (www.samsung.com/ph) is designed with a fresh new look. The new version comes in sleek 44 millimeter and 40mm variants in lightweight aluminum and premium solid stainless steel. The watch face can also be tailored based on a color extraction algorithm to further match the user’s style. Navigating also becomes easier with the upgraded digital touch bezel, and the updated One UI offers an easy and simple user experience.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 takes personalized wellness to the next level as it intelligently and automatically detects fitness activities—including workouts, such as running, walking, cycling, swimming, rowing machine, elliptical machine and dynamic workout. Additionally, the updated Running Coach gives actionable fitness insights in real time.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 has been integrated with leading sleep and meditation app Calm to offer improved sleep analysis and stress relief suggestions—this, while delivering unlimited access to guided meditation programs.

Users can now listen to their favorite music right from their wrist, through Samsung’s integration with Spotify. They simply need to log on to their Samsung account with a single sign-on from their smartphone or Galaxy Watch Active2 for a seamless and continuous listening experience.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 empowers productivity as it allows making and receiving calls, as well as accessing various social-media platforms with just a tap of a finger. The smartwatch is also equipped with a Watch Camera Controller which lets users take photos, record videos, and preview footage right from the smartwatch when paired with a Galaxy smartphone. It is also a great accessory for frequent travelers, as it supports real-time voice and text translation in over 16 languages.

The Galaxy Watch Active2 is now available at a suggested retail price of P19,990, P16,990, or P13,990 for the 44-mm Stainless Steel, 44-mm and 40-mm Aluminum models, respectively.

The Aluminum variant comes in striking Cloud Silver and Aqua Black colors, while the Stainless Steel variant comes in Silver.

important, leaders must focus on their people and openly communicate with them, as these are the same people who will turn their vision into reality,” Delgado said in a statement posted in the bank’s web site.

Delgado said it is also important that people in the organization are provided education and training to ensure they are ready and capable for the road ahead.

More important, she said it is critical for leaders to address what the transformation means for the

employees, particularly in terms of how it will affect their current role in the organization, or if they’ll even retain their jobs during the transition.

“These are all very normal reactions during a transformation journey, and leaders need to openly communicate and address these to make the transformation successful. How you handle the people will spell the difference between success and failure in any digitization effort.”

Other winners include: AIDE, Angkas, Maria Edita C. Elicaño of Insular Life, Philippine Airlines and Philippine Rice Research Institute, who all distinguished themselves for their discernible and measurable excellence in their digital transformation efforts across the five DX masteries and significant efforts to transform or disrupt the market.

All the winning Philippines digital transformation projects were selected as part of over 1000 highquality entries received from end-user organizations across Asia-Pacific. All the country winners will qualify as one of IDC’s finalists for the regional awards, where they will be benchmarked against other winners in the same category to ultimately determine the region’s best of the best.

The regional awarding ceremony will take place during IDC’s Digital Transformation Summit in the Lion City happening on this month at the Raffles City Convention Centre, Singapore.

JUUL LABS LAUNCHES E-COMMERCE WEB SITE WITH STRICT ONLINE AGE-VERIFICATION SYSTEM JUUL Labs’ e-commerce web site in the Philippines (www.juul.ph) is now officially live, offering Filipino adult smokers an additional channel to purchase JUUL devices, pods and accessories. Similar to its on-ground retail counterparts, the web site employs industry-leading, stringent age-verification measures to uphold the company’s commitment of keeping its products out of the reach of minors, while also preventing bulk purchases to all customers The site utilizes Netverify by Jumio, a leading computer vision technology system that expertly

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UNION Bank of the Philippines officials, led by its Chief User Experience Officer Ana A. Delgado (seventh from left), pose after winning the 2019 Digital Transformer for the Philippines by the IDC Digital Transformation Awards

establishes and authenticates identification, to effectively manage its online user verification measures.

In order to make a purchase from www.juul.ph, customers must confirm they are 18 years old and above, and provide a valid governmentissued identification, such as a driver’s license, passport, or the SSS unified multipurpose ID, to enable verification of their identification and age.

“JUUL Labs intends to abide by all local laws and legislation regarding the sale and distribution of electronic nicotine delivery systems in the

ALWAYS AHEAD, ALWAYS IN STYLE

country. We firmly maintain that we do not want any youth or any adult who doesn’t smoke or doesn’t already use nicotine to use our products,” said Ken Bishop, president of JUUL Labs Apac-South.

“Rather, we wish to play an active role in improving the lives of the 16 million Filipino smokers by offering them a viable alternative to cigarette smoking. To do this, we are proactively enforcing industry-leading measures that will prohibit the youth from accessing and purchasing JUUL Labs’ products from both our on-ground

IDC names UnionBank as 2019 Digital Transformer

BY RIZAL RAOUL S. REYES THE Aboitiz-led Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) recently won as 2019 Digital Transformer for the Philippines at the IDC Digital Transformation Awards for its successful digitalizing measures in several areas of their business through digital and disruptive technologies.

Randy Roberts, head of operations for IDC Philippines, said the latest edition of the Digital Transformation Awards has shown huge improvement in terms of depth and breadth of the submissions. “We are beginning to see real momentum in the development of the digital culture, work force, business models and ecosystem.

In our latest survey, 37 percent of enterprises in the Philippines assessed themselves as being at an advanced level of digital transformation, while identifying the biggest challenges to progress as changing the company culture toward transformation and having commitment from the top levels of leadership,” he said in a press statement.

“The number of industries represented in this year’s submissions, as well as the types of technologies being deployed in the solutions, is a clear indicator that the commitment to digital transformation is spreading quickly across small and large enterprises as they strive to embody the Future

Enterprise,” he added.

Ana A. Delgado, chief user experience officer of UnionBank, said investing in people and empowering them is the key to ensure success in the digitalization efforts of an organization. To ensure a successful digital transformation, Delgado stressed that leaders of an organization must specify the reason for transformation, align their vision with their employees, and rethink their strategies. “But more

BusinessMirror

www.businessmirror.com.ph

Saturday, October 12, 2019 A11

Digital platform posts record growth in hired Filipino domestic helpers

BY RODERICK L. ABAD Contributor

APPLE’S latest operating software for Mac computers kills off iTunes, the once-revolutionary program that made online music sales mainstream and effectively blunted the impact of piracy. AP

Goodbye, iTunes: Once-revolutionary app gone in Mac update

BY RACHEL LERMAN & ANICK JESDANUN The Associated Press

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AN FRANCISCO—It’s time to bid farewell to iTunes, the once-revolutionary program that made online music sales mainstream and effectively blunted the impact of piracy.

That assumes, of course, that you still use iTunes— and many people no longer do. On iPhones, the functions have long been split into separate apps for music, video and books. Mac computers follow suit Monday with a software update called Catalina.

Music-subscription services, like Spotify and Apple Music, have largely supplanted both the iTunes software and sales of individual songs, which iTunes first made available for 99 cents apiece. Apple is now giving iTunes its latest push toward the grave. For anyone who has subscribed to Apple Music, the music store will now be hidden on the Mac. Sidelining the all-in-one iTunes in favor of separate apps for music, video and other services will let Apple build features for specific types of media and better promote its TV streaming and music services to help offset slowing sales of iPhones.

In the early days, iTunes was simply a way to get music onto Apple’s marquee product, the iPod music player. Users connected the iPod to a computer, and songs automatically synced—simplicity unheard of at the time.

“I would just kind of mock my friends who were into anything other than iPods,” said Jacob Titus, a

26-year-old graphic designer in South Bend, Indiana.

Apple launched its iTunes Music Store in 2003, two years after the iPod’s debut. With simple pricing at launch—99 cents a single, $9.99 for most albums—many consumers were content to buy music legally rather than seek out sketchy sites for pirated downloads.

But over time, iTunes software expanded to include podcasts, e-books, audiobooks, movies and TV shows.

In the iPhone era, iTunes also made backups and synced voice memos. As the software got bloated to support additional functions, iTunes lost the ease and simplicity that gave it its charm.

And with online cloud storage and wireless syncing, it no longer became necessary to connect iPhones to a computer—and iTunes—with a cable.

Titus said he uses iTunes only to hear obscure Kanye West songs he can’t find streaming. “At the time it seemed great,” he said. “But it kind of stayed that same speed forever.”

The way people listen to music has changed, too.

The U.S. recording industry now gets 80 percent of revenue from paid subscriptions and other streaming.

In the first half of 2019, paid subscriptions to Apple Music and competing services rose 30 percent from a year earlier to 61 million, or $2.8 billion, while revenue from digital downloads fell nearly 18 percent to $462 million.

“The move away from iTunes really does perfectly mirror the general industry move away from sales” and toward subscriptions, said Randy Nelson, head of

insights at Sensor Tower.

Rachel Shpringer, a 35-year-old patent agent in Los Angeles, spent years curating playlists on iTunes. But over time, she realized that was cutting her off from new music. She now gets music through a SiriusXM subscription.

The Mac’s new Music app, which gets the old iTunes icon, is the new home for—drum roll—music.

That includes songs previously bought from the iTunes store or ripped from CDs, as well as Apple’s free online radio stations. It’s also the home for Apple’s $10-a-month music subscription.

Apple Music subscribers will no longer see the iTunes music store, unless they restore it in settings.

Nonsubscribers will see the store as a tab, along with plenty of ways to subscribe to Apple Music. (On iPhones, iTunes Store remains its own app for buying music and video.)

The iTunes store for TV shows and movies will still be prominent on Macs, though now as part of the TV app. Video available to buy or rent will be mixed in with other movies and shows—including exclusive offerings through Apple TV Plus.

The new Podcasts app gets a feature that indexes individual episodes, so you can more easily search for actors or fads that don’t appear in the podcast’s text description. The Mac previously got separate apps for voice memos and books, including audiobooks. The iPhone syncing and backup functions traditionally found in iTunes have been incorporated into the Mac’s navigation interface, Finder. ■

Ways to enjoy the ‘American Dream’ with Klook THE United States is a dream destination for many of us. With endless things to do, new attractions to visit, and iconic sites to see, it’s no wonder why this country is on our travel bucket list.

If you’re planning to visit North America soon, you’re in luck as Klook (www.klook. com) has officially launched its US tours and activities. Travel with convenience and save on your trip to different locations, including Los Angeles (LA), with the world-leading travel activities and services booking platform. Live the so-called American Dream

your own way with a diverse selection of activities. For the amusement-seekers, go on as many rides as you can and watch fantastic shows at Disneyland Park, Disney California Adventure Park and Universal Studios in LA. Skip lines and score discounted tickets when you book via Klook.

For those who thrive in the hustle-andbustle of the city, you can freely explore LA with the Go Los Angeles Card. This card gives you direct access to LA’s most popular attractions and saves you up to 50-percent off. You’ll also be able to enjoy additional

offers and discounts at select dining, shopping and entertainment establishments for up to seven days from the date of activation.

Book US attractions securely and conveniently with Klook. Skip the lines, get discounted tickets and get instant confirmation on your bookings for LA. As an added treat, Klook is offering the USADREAM code, which gives users 10-percent off with a minimum purchase of P10,000 and maximum discount value of P3,000 valid until December 31.

THE Philippines remains one of the top preferred destinations for household helpers as the demand for them underwent an unprecedented increase in Saudi Arabia, reported a leading ethical platform for servant recruitment.

HelperChoice.com received more than 10,000 new job adverts in less than three days alone, following the recent launch of a new service by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Labor and Social Development.

Called “Maaroufah,” it aims to facilitate the employment of maids from the Philippines at a fast and affordable rate.

Under this new system, the hiring process now takes up to 45 days and allows the beneficiary to obtain a visa for a Filipino domestic worker. Also, it reduces the placement charges by 50 percent.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that 24.4 percent of the total 2.3 million overseas Filipino workers globally are based in Saudi Arabia.

Apart from the new service by the ministry, the platform currently implements an ethical charter to be signed by all new employers looking for a housemaid on the platform.

This is to ensure protection and good working conditions for all foreign household helpers willing to work in the largest oil-exporting country.

For instance, it requests all prospective employers to provide Internet access to their maids to guarantee continuous contact with the HelperChoice.com team if in need of assistance.

The web site will also enforce in 2020 direct salary payment via its platform so as to guarantee a monthly wage meeting the legal requirement of $400.

In 2015, the ministry decided to facilitate the hiring of domestic workers from other countries by digitizing the process through their own local labor recruitment portal, called Musaned.

With this web site, employers are able to employ a domestic worker without the need to visit a recruitment agency. They can obtain a domestic worker e-visa in three days as long as they meet the financial, social and legal criteria.

At present, the web site processes around 90 percent of applications for domestic worker visas in the country.

Established in 2012 by two French in Hong Kong, HelperChoice has become the leading platform connecting foreign domestic workers and families in Asia and the Middle East.

This social enterprise was acquired by Europeanbased group Yoopies in 2019, making it the global leader outside of the United States in domestic jobs recruitment.

Editor: Gerard S. Ramos • lifestylebusinessmirror@gmail.com

TELUS International President and CEO Jeff Puritt highlighted the outstanding performance of the team members in the Philippines as the key driver for business growth in 2019.

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When size (and performance) matters TECHNIVORE ED UY

whereiseduy@gmail.com

BEN&BEN sang straight from the heart as the band captivated the audience with hits such as “Pagtingin,” “Maybe the Night” and “ArawAraw.”

TELUS International Philippines team members across six sites gathered for a night of food, music and dancing.

Telus International Philippines gives island chill vibe for Town Hall PEARLY shells, palm trees and cabanas splashed with neon lights were the setting of Telus International Philippines Town Hall 2019. With the theme “Neon Island,” TIP treated its team members and longtime partners to a fun-filled and exciting celebration at the Globe Circuit Grounds in Makati City.

Gathering the largest event crowd in Telus International Philippines’s history, over 7,500 team members took a break from work to embrace the company’s fun and diverse work culture and celebrate their hard work. Telus International Philippines is one of the leading BPO and digital solutions companies in the country with more than 16,000 team members across Metro Manila.

“Telus International Philippines has always valued work-life balance as an important aspect of building a healthy work environment. Town Hall is one of the biggest venues where our team members, longtime partners and leaders get-together and enjoy the company’s fun culture,” said Carlos Giammattei, Telus International director for brand, marketing and culture.

Giammattei added, “Engagement activities such as the annual Town Hall are one of the many reasons why our team members choose to stay with the company.”

The music-filled night was hosted by Luis Manzano and Alex Diaz, and was graced by OPM artists including Morissette Amon, Kamikazee, Ultra Combo, Ben&Ben, Parokya ni Edgar, Patty Tiu, Mark Thompson and A-Team.

Team members expressed their individuality and creativity, arriving in outfits that reflected their own sense of fashion, style and pride, in line with the event’s theme. There were also dozens of side activities, from mystery rooms, arcade games, and games prepared by the organization’s special interest groups. Attendees were given free treats from different booths that served a wide variety of food, drinks and games.

Telus International Philippines is widely present in Metro Manila, with sites in Quezon City (Vertis North and Araneta-Cubao), Pasig (Ortigas Center), Makati (McKinley Exchange), and Taguig (McKinley West and Market! Market!).

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S if on cue, the doorbell rang, and I knew her ride had arrived. I looked at her longingly, held her tightly for one last embrace, and let her brush my cheek one last time.

Ever so carefully, I placed her in bubble wrap, making sure she was well-protected before handing her over to the messenger, uncertain where she was going next.

I don’t usually get #sepanx whenever I return a review unit, but the Samsung Galaxy Note 10 was like reconnecting with an old friend and reminiscing old memories—of a time when I was just starting out as a tech reviewer and Samsung was one of the first brands that trusted me. I had the first three Galaxy Notes, and got the Note 5 from my Smart postpaid line, and if not for the damaged screen, I would still be probably using it.

Not so long ago, before the rise of Huawei Mate, Xiaomi Mi Mix and One Plus devices, the Samsung Galaxy Note was the whole “shebang” of smartphones. It was the “kitchen sink” of Android bringing the best of the best available technology.

It didn’t just raise the bar, the Galaxy Note was the bar.

But times have changed, and now there are more flagship alternatives (and even more flagship killers). So while the Galaxy Note 10 Plus still packs all of the best features you could want and need in a smartphone, the biggest reason to get a Note may ironically be the smaller Note 10.

For the first time, Samsung launched a smaller Note 10, and if you’ve been having second thoughts about getting a Note because of its hefty size, this “lite” version may finally be the one to make you switch.

DEVOUR ■ Fantastic screen ■ More S Pen features ■ Well-designed UI ■ Solid cameras ■ Loud speakers ■ Comfortable to grip DISLIKE ■ No headphone jack ■ No microSD expansion slot ■ Lower battery capacity ■ The Huawei P30-esque camera design ■ Slower charging speed ■ “Cyclops” front camera

A ‘RAINBOWCORN’ OF COLORS

STARTING with the obvious, there’s no denying that the Note 10 looks a lot like the Huawei P30 Pro because of the vertical camera layout. I personally don’t like it, because the camera layout of the previous Notes is what made it stand out and easily identifiable.

Thankfully, that is also where the similarities end. The Note 10 is a bit more angular and it’s hard to ignore the blindingly dazzling, color-changing Aura Glow finish. It is as if Samsung couldn’t decide on the colorway and just put all the colors of a rainbow unicorn, if such a creature existed.

All named with the befitting “Aura” prefix, the Note 10 comes in Aura Glow and Aura Black. The unit I had, however, was the more subdued black, but it is still rather reflective and the mirror finish is a fingerprint magnet. Our review unit did not come with a case, so I had to put it in a pouch to avoid any accidental scratches. The Note 10 was designed for people who want a light and pocket-friendly smartphone as its about 13 percent smaller and 17 percent lighter than the Note 10 Plus. The Note 10 has a 6.3-inch Full HD+ screen as compared to that of the 6.8-inch Quad HD+ screen of the Note 10 Plus. The smaller Note 10 means you don’t quite get the full-blown, super-immersive Note 10 Plus experience, but there is really nothing to complain about because the display is still fantastic.

Also worth pointing out is the Note 10’s button layout, as both volume and power buttons are now located on the left side of the phone. Even more strange is that when you press “power” it activates Bixby instead of offering the restart/

power off options. So if you want to turn the phone off, there’s a software toggle in the notification drawer. Thankfully, Bixby didn’t kill the power button completely, and you can customize this in settings and make the button function as it is supposed to.

But the real casualty is our beloved 3.5-mm headphone jack. Samsung was the last one to give in to the pressure in the name of a thinner body and bigger battery. I really didn’t see it as a big thing as I know a lot of people now have at least a pair of Bluetooth headphones, but it nice to always have the option to go wired. The retail version includes a pair of USBAKG earbuds, but, sadly, no USB-C to 3.5-mm dongle.

NOT THE BEST, BUT STILL EXCELLENT

FOR the first time, the Note 10 gets a rear triple-camera setup, following its debut on the Galaxy S10. The Note was at the top of the DXO rankings once, but this was the 10 Plus 5G edition and its reign was cut short by the Huawei Mate 30 Pro. The Note 10 brings together a 12-megapixel main lens, a 12-megapixel telephoto lens, and a 16-megapixel ultra-wideangle lens. It almost has the exact same camera setup as the larger Note 10 Plus except that it lacks the Depth Vision camera for those realistic bokeh shots in portrait mode (which you won’t really miss that much).

While it may not have the best cameras on record, the Note 10 is still an excellent photography tool and can capture great photos, even in not-so-ideal lighting conditions. I do like the camera interface and the “best shot” assist feature that helps you better compose your photo. The AR Emoji is a lot of fun though, and you can even create animated stickers. I just wish they’d add more selections for hair and face, as well as an option to make your emoji a bit chubbier—like yours truly.

On the video side, the Note 10 stands out for its Zoom-In Audio where multiple mics are used to focus audio on the subject in the frame while toning down the surroundings.

Improvements have also been made to video stability and its native video editor. Now you can even add transitions, music and even doodles using your S Pen to your movies.

THE S PEN MADE MIGHTIER

THE S Pen is the one thing that defines the Galaxy Note experience and for the Note 10, it adds several nifty tricks to make it even more useful. First is the brand-new Microsoft Office Integration that allows you take written notes from your Samsung Notes app and transcribe them into editable text, and export it as a Word document. Samsung’s transcription technology is surprisingly accurate and has been trained in about 60 languages and thousands of

handwriting samples, so it should transcribe well even if you have awful penmanship.

Then there’s simple gesture commands called Air Actions that allow you to control your phone with just with a wave from S Pen. Move the S Pen clockwise or counterclockwise to change the camera angle and capture a close-crop group shot or the whole scene. Flick it left or right while in the Gallery app to move to the next photo, or go back to the previous one.

Turn up the sound by gesturing up and lower it by gesturing down without touching the volume key.

The last new trick for the S Pen is AR Doodle that brings the S Pen’s drawing functionality to real life, adding your doodles to real-life objects and faces via augmented reality and face-tracking technology. It is not that easy to use though.

PERFORMANCE AND BATTERY

THE Note 10 and the Note 10 Plus is powered by the latest Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 855 processor. The difference is RAM, whereas the Note 10 has 8GB and the Note 10 Plus has 12GB. It is as fast as you’d expect from a flagship device to be, and it can handle all the games and multitasking apps you can throw at it without a hitch, and throughout my review of heavy and varied uses, never did I wish that the Note 10 had more RAM. What I did want was expandable storage though.

You only get 256GB for the Note 10 and no microSD card slot unlike the Note 10 Plus. I know 256GB is already huge but if you are going to take a lot of 4K videos and photos, you’d wish for more expandable storage even if it is just for transferring files via SD card to another device.

Last, the Note 10 only has 3,500mAh battery capacity, which is quite disappointing considering that 4000mAh has somewhat become the norm and that the Note 10 Plus has a massive 4,300mAh battery. It can last you a work day on normal use but at its price point, a bigger battery would have made it more reasonable. It does support fast charging and you can have it fully charged in an hour and a half. Wireless charging is still available, as is reverse wireless charging, so you can recharge other devices like Samsung’s Galaxy Buds or even the Galaxy Watch Active 2 simply by placing them on the back of the phone.

FINAL WORD: The Note series has been known to indulge in the excess, giving users tons of features to justify its premium price and flagship stature. So does this “lite” version deprive you of the complete Note experience? The answer is no. The Note 10 may miss out on some of the higher specs and features, but it is smaller, more pocketable size all the more makes it appealing to a new kind of Note audience. ■

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In the ad material of Notice of filing of Application for Alien Employment Permits published on October 5, 2019, the name of Mr. Kim, Chunghyun under ILJIN WALL TECH INC., should have been read as Mr. Yun, Chunghyun and not as published. While in the ad material published on May 29, 2019, the name of Mr. Miao, Zichao under 24/7 BUSINESS PROCESSING INC., should have been read as Mr. Zhou, Miao and not as published.

If you have any information / objection to the above mentioned application/s, please communicate with the Regional Director thru Employment Promotion and Workers Welfare (EPWW) Division with Telephone No. 400-6011.

ATTY. SARAH BUENA S. MIRASOL REGIONAL DIRECTOR